Krav Maga news - IKMF split

Not sure if this is the right forum for this or not but it looks like there is a big split happening in the IKMF and the head man Eyal Yanilov has been kicked out by the other directors/school owners at the top of the organisation. My instructor just told me that we are going over to Eyal's the new organisation called KMG (Krav Maga Global).

Anyway, just thought I would post this info for anyone here involved in KM.

The IKMF, as we know it, has ceased to exist – welcome the next phase and the future of Krav Maga Rumors started circulating, causing unrest in the organization, and it is time for me to clarify a few things, and discuss my views on the situation. The letter is bit long, but it is suggested that you read it all. It will tell how a sport-man's skills were first used by a small sector and then reached national, international and finally now it is at a global level. Imi started with boxing, gymnastics and wrestling. He became a high level sportsman that won international competitions. So first everything was personal fighting sports. At the next phase Imi became a leader and a fighter in his hometown, Bratislava. The second phase was a leap acquired through experience that came from necessity – personal, realistic, defensive and fighting skills. In the country that later would become Israel, Imi started to teach some elements of hand to hand combat for members of the resistance. Later he practically created Krav Maga within and for the IDF (Israeli Defense Forces). Krav Maga was taught to a large sector. In the mid-1960s when Imi started to teach civilians and spread Krav Maga in Israel, it became known on the national level. The Israeli Krav Maga Association (IKMA) was formed in 1978. In the late 80's and early 90's we started to spread Krav Maga outside Israel, first it went to the USA where I trained several generations of instructors (training took place in Israel and USA). Krav Maga was practically unknown in the world. In the mid 90's I started spreading KM to Scandinavia, England and other countries in Europe, naturally with the irreplaceable assistance of local KM instructors and directors. At this stage there was the need to create an international organization. With Imi's support and blessing, I formed the International Krav Maga Federation with some of my students in 1996. It was formed in Israel as a sport association, with its management and control kept among its 7 founders only. Imi and I substituted and signed all the Diplomas and Grades of the IKMA with new ones of the IKMF. The value and prestige of having a diploma from the IKMF came only from the value of those who signed them, the knowledge they symbolized, and from the hard work done by each trainee to achieve each and every diploma. The work that I did with the directors and instructors in each country opened ample opportunities for people to become KM instructors and make a leaving from what they love to do. This work brought the life saving knowledge to the public in each country. Now after almost two decades of extensive work all over the world, most of which I did by myself as the leader and spearhead of the Krav Maga movement, we have the system in the different continents spread out in about 50 countries For decades I trained a selected group of my higher graded Israeli students without pay. I showed them the way of the modern Krav Maga, what Imi founded and I developed. Meanwhile, I also showed them (the 3 Israeli directors of IKMF, Gabi Noah, Eli Ben-Ami and Avi Moyal, whom I also certified as Krav Maga instructors back in 1984) the knowhow and way to instruct Krav Maga as well as the knowhow to operate it outside the borders of Israel and the Israeli mentality. I opened for them doors of business opportunities, got them known around the world and put them in charge of countries. For many years I tried hard to put the IKMF on unified professional, structural and correct lines, like should be in a professional organization working on an international level. Unfortunately I was not successful.
Last year the IKMF (which is built like an association, with board of directors, general meetings and voting), practically went in another direction completely. On the 28th of December, the three Israeli directors of IKMF (Avi, Eli and Gabi) added to the decision making and voting panel four family members and friends and then started with different decisions. All this is taking the organization in directions which are neither Imi's nor mine. At this point in time, as the one who built the IKMF and gave it its position and reputation in the world, I see no possibility, hope or option in its current state and structure to follow the professional, moral and ethical way that Imi and I outlined and what I was keeping all these years. Within the IKMF it is not possible any more to maintain the professional level and integrity that brought us, instructors and students, to our high level of knowledge as well as to the current leading position in the world of martial art in general and Krav Maga in particular. Naturally I was hurt to be betrayed this way by former students after so many years of giving to them knowledge, grades and business opportunities. It is an example of the darker side of human nature. Naturally I accept this and I move on without looking back. Additional to the above, with the growing popularity of Krav Maga in the world, a number of new Krav Maga organizations have sprung up trying to take advantage of Krav Maga’s growing popularity. The quality of training and the links of the leaders of these organizations back to the source and the founder of Krav Maga, Imi Sde-Or (Lichtenfeld), vary. The best way to deal with this new competition is to provide a superior product and service. We have now the obligation, the need, the necessity as well as the opportunity to make another leap using the knowledge we have developed, including recent advancements. We need to operate and spread the modern Krav Maga with the kind of organization that will be able to work efficiently all over the globe, giving the appropriate support to its directors, instructors and students. I have decided to create a new organization. An organization that will keep the true spirit and knowledge of Krav Maga and Imi, and within it we will be able to develop, spread and monitor the knowledge and the advancement of students and instructors. The Krav Maga Global, the KMG was created. For those who continue with us, the Certificates, Diplomas and Grades of the IKMF will be substituted by those of the KMG. It is both suitable and symbolic that this month, when we celebrate Imi's 100th birthday, we also start a new era for Krav Maga. I welcome you to KMG.
All the best and be safe, Eyal -------------------------------- Further facts, thinking and explanation Imi was a genius in presenting the best solution for a specific problem. He became clearer and more coherent as time passed and experience acquired. Krav Maga itself started as eclectic solutions for problems that soldiers of the IDF were facing in the early 50's. These solutions were based on the knowledge and experience of Imi and the people around him had. In 1964, Imi went to civil life and started teaching his method to young people. After several years he conducted the first instructors' course.

With 24 years of teaching and close to 20 years as his closest assistant and right hand man, Imi initiated me as the professional leader of Krav Maga. At his home I was like a member of the family and he saw me as the most appropriate person and the natural heir. I was the first and only person who got both the highest level in the system (1991) and his unique diploma of excellence (1997). Up until the mid-90’s Krav Maga was largely only practiced within Israel and managed locally through the Israeli Krav Maga Association. This organization was a sport association, with members, as young as 14 years old, voting and deciding who will be the leader and board of directors. When I created the IKMF, I tried to avoid such problems and kept the number of voting members to 7. The other 6 were Miki ASULIN, Eli BEN-AMI, Ze'ev COHEN, Shachar KLARFELD, Avi MOYAL and Gabi NOAH. I took upon me to spread KM in the world and for this I created the IKMF. I have traveled over 200 days each of the past years to fulfill this mission. This gave hundreds of instructors the opportunities to teach Krav Maga and also make a leaving out of it. Further with this popularity the IKMF started to move into new markets in North and South America as well as Africa and so the capability and capacity of the IKMF is being stretched. In order to meet these new challenges and maintain the quality of an increasingly large number of Krav Maga instructors and students outside of Israel it is necessary to have a structure that is closer to that of any quality international business organization. There is up-going demand and need for more quality teaching and highly trained instructors as well as professional support and a well structured organization. The current structure of the IKMF and its model of operation do not permit nor allow such developments or professional progress. So the time has come to move on from the ‘association’ or ‘federation’ type organization of the IKMF to a professional business structure that is focused on providing a quality product and service across the globe. What is now needed is an organization that has a professional management structure that uses the latest technology to assist in rapid communication and decision making across the global network, detailed business and marketing plans, a teaching and training program that is also supported by the latest technology and a professional network of instructors. All this is required to meet the rising expectations of an ever increasing student base that is accustomed to the high standards set by other quality service providers in their sector. So a new organization called Krav Maga Global has been formed. The Structure of the KMG will include:
 KMG HQ – responsible on the whole operation and structure. Set the way that the organization is going, the vision and missions that we aim to achieve.
 KMG Academy – responsible on the structure of the courses, the lesson plans and the manuals
 KMG Professional Committee - responsible for the content of Krav Maga curriculum and the professional research and development.
 Grading Committee – responsible for the grading procedures and practical tests of students and instructors.
 KMG office and logistics – organizing the different activities and courses in Israel and around the globe (together with the local directors)
 Global and International Teams of Instructors – the groups of instructors travelling to bring the knowledge to the instructors and students
 National Team of Instructors - responsible for the professional growth and the monitoring of local instructors and students.
 Business Development Department
 Marketing and PR section

And here is some more from the June Newsletter:

Dear Directors,
Below you can find some questions and answers about the structure and meaning of KMG. Many such questions arose lately and in the convention we were dealing with many of them. Most of the below were written by Graham Kuerschner (Australian director). Please send this document to the Instructors in your country.
We are sure the data below will be useful. If you have other questions, pls write to us. Be safe and all the best, Eyal and the team

START UP OF KMG – FAQ
Few immediate answers to some "burning" questions Q . There were courses planned such as E and G camps in Israel, CICs around the world, Law-Enforcement instructors' courses in Europe before this announcement. Are they still going ahead or will they be postponed? A . All confirmed courses will still proceed as planned. These courses were planned by Eyal and his team and so will go through as planned under the new structure (KMG). If there is a change to a particular course (which may be for a reason that has nothing to do with this announcement) for some reason, we will let you know. Q . Who from the Global Team will be in the KMG? A . During the convention with the instructors and the directors Amnon Darsa, Zeev Cohen and Tamir Gilad announced that they are in the KMG with Eyal. Shachar Klarfeld, Tommy Blom, Richard Fagan, Bjorn Karlsson and others announced the same announcement in other opportunities. The directors and groups of instructors that were working with Eyal before the change expressed their intention and desire to continue with him and the global team. Those include the countries of: USA, UK, Australia, Norway, Finland, Germany, Holland, Ireland, Poland, Hungary, Belgium, Czech Rep., Serbia, Croatia, Switzerland, Romania, Argentina, Mexico, Russia, Singapore, Philippines, and more. Q . The IKMF was a non-profit association, like a sporting association so how will KMG be the same or different from this? A . The IKMF is an Israeli registered association that operated as a non-profit organization just like any 'association' in most countries. It is not a company. Being a non-profit organization means it does not distribute profit to the share holders (members) as you would in a company. Originally there were seven shareholders or members of the IKMF although now there are a few more, so as an organization it is very small. The IKMF's total income in the past 7 years was very modest, only very few thousands of US$. The purpose of the IKMF was to promote Krav Maga, set the curriculum and standards for grading etc.

IKMF does not run courses such as CIC's or instructor updates or take instructor fees etc. That is done by the separate companies that each IKMF Director owns, like Eyal's company ISKM (International School of Krav Maga, established 1988) or Gabi's company ("Gabi Noah - International Krav Maga") or Avi Moyal's ("Contact") and others. Each, through an agreement, operated in different areas of the world. The IKMF is simply a 'roof' that sits over these companies or if you like a common front' that is presented to the public. KMG will be the new form of Eyal's old company ISKM - just not sitting under the IKMF roof anymore. It is therefore misleading to be told that the choice now is between the 'non-profit' IKMF and the for-profit KMG. If you stay with the IKMF you will still be paying money to for-profit companies that sit under the IKMF 'front'. The difference now is that you have more choice and you can choose which organization provides you with the best service. One of the reasons for the break with the IKMF and the companies under it was that it has never been able to provide a professional level of operation and service which is now expected by both instructors and students in the 21st century. You don't have to believe any words you read or speeches you hear - think of your own experiences to decide whether that is true or not. Then decide what you want.
Q . What is the KMG logo?
A . The logo design is still being finalized and is not ready for immediate release. We must complete design work for all the items that will need the logo such as uniforms, patches, passports, letterhead etc. We expect it to be ready in the beginning of next week, with several variations adequate for different uses. There will be exact definition about how the logo should be used.
Q . When does the changeover to KMG come into effect?
A . KMG as an organization is coming into existence now although no-one is actually in any positions within the organization as yet. Additional Questions and Answers
Q . What is the process of switching over into KMG?
A . We are working on the process by which Directors and Instructors who wish to join KMG and who meet our standards can switch over into KMG.
Q . What are the standards you refer to for switching over into KMG?
A . These will be contained in material to be developed and will be released to all as soon as it is ready. In the first instance these standards relate to the values of our new organization and these values center around professionalism, integrity and teamwork. People who share those values are important to the success of KMG.
Q . Do we have to switch over to KMG?
A . No of course not. That is a choice for every Director and Instructor. But if you don’t you will have to consider who will provide for your on-going training and support.
Q . In the meantime do we have to take direction from the IKMF?
A . Definitively not. You are not a member of the IKMF per se as the IKMF itself is a small sports association type organization comprised of a handful of Israeli people that has no jurisdiction outside of that country. Your relationship to the IKMF comes through your Instructor contract which in the majority of instances is with Eyal.
Q . What is the organizational structure of KMG?
A . We are intending to build a new organizational structure that more aligns with our desire to be an international organization operating to professional standards. Different divisions will be headed by different high level instructors and professionals and Eyal will be governing it all.
Q . Do we keep wearing our IKMF uniforms?
A . For now yes and for some time in the future. There is no immediate need to change anything and for a while we will operate IKMF and KMG uniforms and logos side by side.
Q . Can we still use the IKMF logo?
A . The IKMF logo in the different countries Eyal was working in is owned by Eyal or his local director, not the IKMF organization so for now we may use it but only to enable us the time necessary to change across.
Q . Is the curriculum changing?
A . For the immediate future we will use the same teaching curriculum although it is intended to review and update it once the key tasks in setting up KMG have been completed.
Q . What happens about our grades and diplomas obtained in the IKMF?
A . For those that join KMG you will be given the equivalent grade with a KMG diploma and patch. For now the grading structure is the same as the one you know from the IKMF.
Q . There were courses planned such as CIC’s before this announcement. Are they still going ahead or will they be postponed?
A . All confirmed courses will still proceed as planned. If there is a change to a particular course (which may be for a reason that has nothing to do with this announcement) for some reason we will let you know. This change, as big as it is doesn’t mean we stop teaching and training.
Q . What do we tell our students?
A . Better to not make any big announcements or over dramatize the situation. If students find out then simply say that a new organization is being formed to provide a more professional service and that other than that it will not directly affect them or their training, certainly for now.
Q . When will further announcements be made?
A . At the Convention ended May 31st in Netanya we worked on many of the details. Now we are working on the finalizing and then they will be released.
Q . What next?
A . More information will be forth coming so for now continue as normal. Focus on giving your students good quality teaching and training and await more announcements.